Beluga

Chapter 5 To Talking Beluga

"This the last bag?"

"Yeah, that's it. Once it's on, we're ready for take off, I reckon." John nodded his head towards the fluorescent yellow hold all as he spoke. "You can just chuck this one on, mate. Just clothes in here. No gear."

A thin asian man reached down and pulled the heavy duty bag away.

John left out a slow breath into the cold Copenhagen air. Standing on the tarmac, he was all but ready to go. He pushed his gloved hands into his anorak pockets and reached down to sling his backpack on to his back. He'd be gone for several months on this research trip and he couldn't wait. He was finally going to be free of civilization and all its smog. He was headed for clean, pure Greenland air with nothing but his camera, some notebooks, pencils and the bottle of whiskey he had stashed in the suitcase. He wasn't sure what Greenlanders liked to drink but men were men and he was going to take the whiskey anyway as a way of making friends with the natives. He was afterall, going to need their help and hospitality.

In his pocket, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and saw a missed call. He'd had his phone on silent for this very reason. Silent, so that he didn't hear her calls, when she called, which he knew she would, which he now knew she did.

"Won't be needing you in Greenland", he muttered as he pushed the phone back into his pocket without returning the call.

The missed called had been from Carol, a girl he had been seeing briefly. They'd been on a few dates and John had started to think they might have something but it had still been early days. He'd introduced her to some of his friends. They all got on really well, which was great, until she'd sat him down to tell him that she was interested in his friend David.

It had been no massive heart-break, he wasn't that into her. But he had thought she was worth pursuing to see where it lead. It was audacity of it all which was bothering him.

He'd looked at her in disbelief over the coffee in the cliche Starbucks she'd brought him to near Victoria Station.

"David?! David Crockman?!"

"I'm sorry, John. Just happened and we were never exclusive so I wanted to tell you now so you don't find out from someone else."

"How did it even happen? He's been stationed out on an oil rig for the last few weeks."

"Snapchat."

"Snapchat?!" John was shrieking now and he could hear himself. He quieted, "...snapchat? Really?" John didn't even know David had Snapchat.

"It's an app where you send photos anonymously.. icon is a little ghost..."

John cut her off. "I know what snapchat is. I'm just coming to terms with being outdone by a middle aged oil rigger using Snapchat!"

Carol sighed. "...and that's why you and I won't work. Davids a gentleman."

John's mouth hung open and he sighed heavily. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ten pound notes and slammed it on the table. "Keep the change". He gestured towards the coffee.

"John, you haven't even drank your coffee... don't you even want it?"

John shook his head exasperated. "Why dont you send a picture of it on bloody Snapchat to David? Sure that'll warm his cockles out on that rig. Hope he gets fucking phenomena."

With that he left and stepped out in to the London air, tucking his chin in under his scarf.

Thank God for this Greenland trip, he thought.

The next days passed quietly a he readied himself for the trip. He packed his bags and gave thought to what he would and wouldn't need. Phone - yes, but only for emergencies. Camera - definitely. Alcohol - yes. Jumpers - yes. As he packed he couldn't believe how little he was actually going to take and more so how little he'd actually turned out to need but then that was the point. He was going to Greenland to escape. escape Carol, escape technology, escape London, escape people who built relationships via Snapchat.